Zolani residents are fuming with anger following the municipality’s failure to repair a leaking tap which is flooding a street.
Despite repeatedly reporting the leakage to the municipality last year, the residents say municipal employees have not visited the area to assess the situation.
Zolani residents are fuming with anger following the municipality’s failure to repair a leaking tap which is flooding a street.
Despite repeatedly reporting the leakage to the municipality last year, the residents say municipal employees have not visited the area to assess the situation.
A third of the street is covered in mud as water has flooded the area to the extent that residents have to tip toe their way to the public tap.
Because of its inaccessibility to vehicles, the residents say the police cannot drive along the street where the tap is located and that sick people have to be carried in wheelbarrows to catch an ambulance.
A furious Joyce Koesnel said the flooded area is a health hazard as it harbours toads, mosquitoes and flies. She says that as a result of the flood she and her six year-old daughter are suffering from asthma.
Koesnel said the tap started leaking around March 2009 and that her ward councillor Xolani Simakuhle recently asked to have the tap relocated to her premises.
“In hindsight I’ve realised that such an arrangement won’t work because sometimes I lock my gate, and that will be a source of inconvenience for residents who need water at those times,” she added.
The area is situated on a steep slope and therefore the flood from the tap is damaging the houses below it. Water recently flowed into Jackson Kondile’s house in the early hours of the morning and created havoc for the family.
According to Kondile, the water seeped through the wall and floor. He added that members of his family had to jump onto beds to stay dry.
“We had to dig furrows around the house to redirect the flood.” When Grocott’s Mail visited the Kondiles last week all the windows of their house were open, the floor and the furniture were still wet and a damp smell emanated from the house.
There are also two infants younger than two years staying in the shack. Half of Kondile’s next door neighbour’s shack has been destroyed.
Residents say the occupant has been away for a while and is probably not aware of the extent of the damage. Ntombomzi Ngapi said the tap was even directly reported to Makana Mayor Vumile Lwana who told ward 10 councillor Xolani Simakuhle to deal with the problem.
Simakuhle confirmed he is aware of the situation and that he, together with some residents, reported the matter to the municipality a long time ago.
“Even the [ward’s] community development worker reported the matter, but the officials don’t act,” he added. He said residents raised the matter at the last ward meeting which was held at Mary Waters High School last month.
He added that municipal employees said at some point that they went to the area but could not find the tap. Contrary to his promise, Makana spokesperson Thandy Matebese did not respond to questions put to him by Grocott’s Mail.
